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Developer Tools · head to head

Argo CD vs Entrust Identity as a Service

Argo CD logo

Argo CD

Developer Tools

A declarative, GitOps continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Entrust Identity as a Service logo

Entrust Identity as a Service

Cybersecurity

Workforce and customer authentication from a certificate authority

From
$2/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Argo CD has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Argo CD licensed under Apache License 2.0 per the project's GitHub repository (argoproj/argo-cd LICENSE); as open source software it has no paid tier or vendor price to compare; Entrust Identity as a Service the application integration catalogue is smaller than that of the dedicated identity vendors, so uncommon SaaS applications more often need custom SAML configuration rather than a template.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Argo CD and Entrust Identity as a Service actually diverge.

Attributes where Argo CD and Entrust Identity as a Service differ
AttributeArgo CDEntrust Identity as a Service
Starting priceFree$2/month
Pricing modelopen-sourcePer user per month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android, Windows, Linux
CategoryDeveloper ToolsCybersecurity

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Argo CD

Nothing recorded that Entrust Identity as a Service does not also cover.

Only in Entrust Identity as a Service

  • Multi-factor authentication
  • Single sign-on
  • Adaptive authentication
  • Passwordless login
  • Credential lifecycle
  • Derived PIV credentials
  • Directory integration

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Argo CD

  • Declarative GitOps continuous deployment for Kubernetes applicationsnot Entrust Identity as a Service
  • Automated configuration drift detection across multiple clustersnot Entrust Identity as a Service
  • Multi-environment management with blue/green and canary deploymentsnot Entrust Identity as a Service
  • Enterprise authentication with SSO, OIDC, OAuth2, LDAP, SAML 2.0not Entrust Identity as a Service
  • Webhook integration for GitHub, BitBucket, and GitLab automationnot Entrust Identity as a Service

Entrust Identity as a Service

  • A government agency needing derived mobile credentials from an existing PIV smart card estatenot Argo CD
  • A bank that must support hardware tokens for corporate treasury users alongside push authentication for staffnot Argo CD
  • An organisation already buying Entrust certificates that wants credential issuance and authentication from one vendornot Argo CD
  • A defence supplier required to use certificate-based authentication that mainstream cloud identity products handle poorlynot Argo CD

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Argo CD

  • Licensed under Apache License 2.0 per the project's GitHub repository (argoproj/argo-cd LICENSE); as open source software it has no paid tier or vendor price to compare
  • The quick start installation requires the --server-side and --force-conflicts flags due to CRD size limitations, per argo-cd.readthedocs.io, a constraint the documentation states explicitly

Entrust Identity as a Service

  • The application integration catalogue is smaller than that of the dedicated identity vendors, so uncommon SaaS applications more often need custom SAML configuration rather than a template.
  • Developer experience for customer identity use cases is behind the specialists, and teams building consumer signup flows will find the APIs and documentation less complete.
  • Advanced capabilities including adaptive authentication and credential management sit above the published entry price, so the two dollar figure rarely reflects what a regulated buyer actually spends.
  • There are two overlapping products, Identity as a Service and Identity Enterprise, and choosing wrongly at the start means a migration later rather than a licence change.
  • Identity governance, access certification and privileged access are not covered, so an organisation with audit-driven access review requirements needs a second vendor alongside it.

Pricing, plan by plan

Argo CD

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Argo CD review.

Entrust Identity as a Service

$2/month
  • Workforce Standard$2/month
    • Multi-factor authentication
    • Single sign-on
    • Directory integration
  • Higher tiers$undefined/month
    • Adaptive risk-based authentication
    • Certificate and smart card credential management
    • Derived PIV credentials

Which should you pick?

Choose Argo CD if

  • You want to start without paying.
Argo CD review

Choose Entrust Identity as a Service if

  • You need multi-factor authentication.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows, Linux.
  • You also want single sign-on.
Entrust Identity as a Service review

Questions people ask

Is Argo CD or Entrust Identity as a Service better?
Neither clearly leads. Argo CD starts at Free and Entrust Identity as a Service at $2/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Argo CD or Entrust Identity as a Service?
Argo CD has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Argo CD and $2/month for Entrust Identity as a Service.
Does Argo CD or Entrust Identity as a Service run on more platforms?
Argo CD runs on Web. Entrust Identity as a Service runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows, Linux.
Can I use Argo CD for free?
Yes. Argo CD has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Entrust Identity as a Service starts at $2/month.
What is Argo CD best used for?
Argo CD is most often used for declarative gitops continuous deployment for kubernetes applications, automated configuration drift detection across multiple clusters, multi-environment management with blue/green and canary deployments, enterprise authentication with sso, oidc, oauth2, ldap, saml 2.0. Of those, declarative gitops continuous deployment for kubernetes applications and automated configuration drift detection across multiple clusters are not what Entrust Identity as a Service is typically brought in for.
What can Argo CD do that Entrust Identity as a Service cannot?
Entrust Identity as a Service covers Multi-factor authentication, Single sign-on, Adaptive authentication, Passwordless login.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Argo CD: What is the cost of Argo CD?

Argo CD is open source and free to use. No licensing fees, subscription charges, or commercial restrictions apply. The project is maintained by the CNCF community.

Source
Entrust Identity as a Service: Is MFA included or extra?

Multi-factor authentication is included in the workforce bundles rather than sold separately, which is not true of every competitor. Adaptive risk-based authentication sits in higher tiers.

Argo CD: How frequently does Argo CD poll Git repositories by default?

Argo CD checks Git and Helm repositories every 3 minutes by default to detect configuration changes, enabling timely deployment of updates.

Source
Entrust Identity as a Service: Does it do identity governance?

No. Access certification, role mining and joiner-mover-leaver governance require a separate product such as SailPoint or Saviynt.

Entrust Identity as a Service: Why choose this over Okta or Entra ID?

Almost always because of PKI, smart cards or derived credentials. Without that requirement the mainstream platforms are the stronger general purpose choice.

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